Yuanmingyuan is renowned throughout the world for its grand and magnificent. Be crowned as the “Garden of Gardens” and the “Versailles of the East” during its heyday. It has been expanded in succession for five emperors of the Qing Dynasty.

Covering an area of about 350 hectares, Yuanmingyuan is composed of three gardens: Yuanmingyuan, Changchunyuan and Qichunyuan. There are exquisite architecture, decorated with thriving trees and colorful flowers. Pavilions, corridors, islands, and bridges, zigzag path enhanced its charm.

Yuanmingyuan is not only famous for its beauty, but also its vast collection of cultural treasures. The numerous rare cultural treasures are displayed in the sandalwood furniture. The Wenyuan Hall housed such precious ancient books as the Complete Library of Four Branches of Books, The Completed Collection of Graphs and Writings of Ancient and Modern Times.

However, this amazing buildings complex and the treasures within it have failed to escape the destruction by the Western powers. In October 1860, the Anglo-French forces sacked and looted Yuanmingyuan and burned it into ground. From then on, Yuanmingyuan has been suffering continual damage.

Nowadays, the site bears the burden of the miserable history. The broken walls, the fell pillars guarded there and like the mirror reflect to what they had witnessed, so as to remind us the tragedy, the never healing pains.